Firing mechanism of breech-loading guns.



A. T. DAWSON & G. T. BUGKH AM. FIRING MEGHANISM 0F BREBOH LOADING GUNS.

v APPLIOATION FILED MAR. B, 1910.

Patented June 6, 1911 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 &

A. T. DAWSON & G. T. BUGKHAM.

FIRING MECHANISM OF BREEGH LOADING GUNS.

APPLICATION FILED mama, 1910.

1n: NORRIS PETERS ca, wAsmu-aicm, 02 c.

Patented June 6, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR TREVOR DAWSON AND GEORGE THOMAS BUCKHAM, OF WESTMINSTER,

LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNORS TO VICKERS SONS & MAXIM, LIMITED, OF WEST- MINSTER, ENGLAND.

FIRING MECHANISM OF BREECH-LOADING GUNS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June o, 1911.

Original application filed May 6, 1908, Serial No. 431,098. Divided and this application filed March 8,

1910. Serial No. 548,019.

T all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that we, ART UR TREVOR DAWSON and GEORGE THOMAS BUOKHAM,

ments inFiring Mechanism of Breech-Loading Guns, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to the firing mechanism of breech loading guns of the class wherein the breech screw is opened and closed by means ofa hand lever adapted to impart a partial rotation in one direction or the other to a pinion carried by a swinging carrier and arranged to transmit through a suitable connection a corresponding movement to the breech screw and a lateral movement to a slide which normally covers the axial vent of the gun when the'breech is closed. In mechanism of this class it is customary to mount the striker orfiring pin the striker which engage with cam surfaces.

upon the aforesaid slide, and to utilize the lateral movement thereof simultaneously to retract the striker to its cocked position, this operation being effected by projections on on the frame in which the slide works when the hand lever is operated to withdraw the slide to uncover the axial vent. It has been found in practice that when the aforesaid j projections and cam surfaces become worn,

a suflicient movement of the slide takes place before the commencement of the retraction of the striker to break or materially damage the same in the event of its end being embedded in the head of the primer.

The present invention is particularly applicable to heavy guns and consists in causing the striker to be partly retracted before any movement is imparted to the slide by means of a retracting lever adapted to be actuated by a. pull imparted to a rod that receives a positive endwise motion in each direction from a leverv that is actuated by the sector pinion, the said lever being also I arranged to impart a positive endwise motion in each direction to the aforesaid slide and to be capable of becoming disconnected from the sector pinion to permit of the latter continuing its movement for the purpose 7 of unscrewing and opening the breech.

In order that the said invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect, the same is described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1, is an end elevation of a gun breech showing the ordinary mechanism for actuating the same and mechanism actuated by the sector pinion for retracting the striker. Fig. 2, is a horizontal section of part of Fig. 1, drawn to an enlarged scale. Fig. 3, is a plan of a portion of a gun breech part of which is shown in section to show the application thereto of the improved striker retracting and slide actuating mechanisms. Fig. 4L is an end elevation of a portion of the swinging carrier partly broken away to show the aforesaid mechanisms. Fig. 5, is aview of part of Fig. 4 showing the position of the parts when a partial rotation hasbeen imparted "to the sector pinion. Fig. 6, is a similar view showing. the position of the parts when the lever that is actuated by the sector pinion has received V and 11, are detached views drawn to a.

larger scale showing various positions of the striker retracting lever and of the slide that L carries the striker.

The following is a description of an isting type of breech mechanism to which the invention. is applied :A represents the swinging carrier which is hinged to one side of the breech end of thegun and supports the breech screw A A is the breech actuating hand lever to which is connected a sector pinion a gearing with a similar sector. pinion a pivoted on the carrier. This pinion is provided with a roller crank pin a which engages with a groove at formed in a projection extending from a portion of the breech screw, so that a partial rotary motion is imparted to such screw by the pinion a when the hand lever is moved in a direction away from the breech with the result that a threaded .portion of the beech screw. is disengaged from a corresponding threaded portion in the gun, whereupon the breech screw.-

can be opened by continuing the movement of the hand lever in the direction above mentioned. Mounted on the carrier A is a piece of mechanism technically termed a slide box one portion B of which embraces the spindle F of the axial vent and another portion B constitutes a slide bed for a slide C. Projecting from the latter is a hollow boss 0 Fig. 2 on which is mounted a casing 0 and situated within these parts is the striker C and spring 0 for actuating the same. The striker is connected to a sleeve 0 which is slidably mounted on the casing 0 and carries projections or rollers 0 adapted to be brought into engagement with projections b on the slide bed B for retracting and cooking the striker when the slide C is moved laterally toward the right to uncover the axial vent. This movement is effected by a bolt C which passes through such slide and forms a pivot for one end of a link E the other end of which is connected to a crank pin 6 on the sector wheel a When the breech is closed, the slide is moved by the aforesaid bolt C and link E to bring the end of the striker G into line with the axial vent as shown in Fig. 2-. In this view the end of the striker is shown embedded in the head of the primer G and it will be readily understood that if any wear takes place between the roller 0 and the projection b on the slide bed B the slide will move before the commencement of the retraction of the striker and the latter will be damaged or broken.

With reference to the mechanism constructed in accordance with this invention, D represents a two armed retracting lever pivoted at d to the slide bed B and provided with a toe piece d that is capable of engaging with a projection 0 on the striker sleeve.

D represents a retracting rod that is hooked at one end to engage with one arm of the lever D. This rod is slidably mount ed in a suitable guide way formed in the swinging carrier A and is provided at its outer end with concave surfaces d situatedon either side of a recess d that is also formed in such rod. Pivoted to the carrier A below the end of the retracting rod D is a lever E formed with a segmental surface e corresponding to the curvature of the concave surface cl and with a tooth or projection 6 adapted to engage with the recess (F. This lever is also formed with a slot or groove 6 for the reception of a roller pin 6 mounted on a projection extending from the sector pinion a The latter is formed with a segmental flange e for engagement when required with a correspondingly shaped part 0 on the lever E lever beyond the segmental portion 6 and projection e is a toothed sector 6 formed with a wide tooth 6 This toothed sector is adapted to engage with a rack a forming Extending from such 7 part of a block E that is connected with the slide actuating link E by means of a guide bolt C One of the rack teeth (2 is curved to enable the wide tooth e on the lever E to slide thereon and so to permit a relative movement between the said lever and the rack, a recess 6 being formed in the latter to receive the wide tooth 6 during the said relative movement.

lVhen the parts occupy the position shown in Fig. 9, the breech is fully closed and the slide C occupies its normal position for covering the vent axial, the projection e on the lever E is in direct engagement with the recess (Z in the retracting rod and the wide tooth e is capable of sliding slightly to the right uponthe curved tooth e before the wide tooth e interlocks with the recess 8 in the block E In this position the end of the striker C may be embedded in the head of the primer G as shown in F i-g. 2, and the striker retracting lever D and striker sleeve 0 may occupy the position shown in Fig. 3. Upon rotating the crank pinion a in an anti-clockwise direction. the rod D is pulled to the right by the direct engagement of the projection c with the recess cl. This movement turns the retracting lever D to the position indicated in Fig. 10, before any movement is transmitted to the slide owing to the relative movement which takes place between the sector a and the rack 6 The toe piece (Z engaging withthe projection c on the striker sleeve retracts the latter to the position indicated inFig. 10, in which position the end of the striker is retracted clear of the primer head and the surface of a projection 0 on such sleeve is brought 'linable with a parallel surface formed on a projection 6 extending from the slide bed B At the completion of this retracting movement the tooth 6 leaves the recess d and engages with the curved surface (1* thereby retaining the retracting rod and lever in their retracted condition until the slide C has been moved sufiiciently far to the right to enable the projection 0 to rest upon the projection Z1 the said movement of the slide being effected by the engagement of the sector teeth with the rack teeth as shown in Fig. 5. A continuation of the rotary motion of. the sector pinion a turns the lever E to the position indicated in Fig. 6, further movement of such lever being prevented by a stop a projecting from the carrier A. This movement of the lever .moves the slide C to its extreme position to the right for uncovering the vent axial to permit of the removal of the expended primer. The rotary motion of the sector 'pinion can now be continued for the purpose 'of completing the unscrewing of the breech, the roller pin 6" leaving the slot or groove 0 and the segmental flange 6 engaging with the concave surface 6 and thereby retaining the lever E in the proper position for insuring the reengagement of the roller pin 6 with the groove e when the sector pinion a is rotated in the the striker, the striker retracting lever and the sector pinion, of a tension member operatively connected with the striker retracting lever and the sector pinion, and caused by the latter in the act of opening the breech to exert a pull on the striker retracting lever to initially retract the striker prior to the commencement of the lateral movement of the slide.

2. In firing mechanism of the character described, the combination with the slide, the striker, and the sector pinion, of a pivoted lever operatively connected with the sector pinion, a retracting rod arranged to be actuated in each endwise direction by the said lever, and a retracting lever actuated to retract the striker preparatory to the lateral movement of the slide,'by a pulling action of the retracting rod.

3. In firing mechanism of the character described, the combination with the slide, the striker, and the sector pinion, of a pivoted lever operatively connected with the sector pinion and capable of becoming disengaged therefrom, a retracting rod arranged to'be actuated in each endwise direction by the said lever, a retracting lever actuated to retract the striker by a pull exerted upon the retracting rod by the pinion actuated lever, and means whereby the slide is actuated in one direction or the other by movement of the pinion actuated lever.

4. In firing mechanism of the character described, the combination with the striker, the striker retracting lever and the sector pinion, of a pivoted lever operatively connected with the sector pinion and capable of becoming automatically disengaged therefrom, a retracting rod operatively connected at one end with the retracting lever and at the other end with the aforesaid pivoted lever the connections between the said lever and rod being so arranged that the lever can impart an endwise movement in either direction to the rod, retain such rod in its forward or retracted condition, or move relatively to the rod.

5. In firing mechanism of the character described, the combination with the striker the striker retracting lever and the sector pinion, of a pivoted lever operatively connected with the sector pinion and capable of automatically becoming disengaged therefrom, the said lever having a concentrically arranged segmental surface and a segmental projection extending radially therefrom, a retracting rod capable of exerting a pull upon the retracting lever and formed with a recess and with concave surfaces adapted to be engaged by the aforesaid segmental surface and projection.

6. In firing mechanism of the character described, the combination with the slide, the-link for actuating the same, the striker, the striker retracting lever, and the sector pinion, of a pivoted lever operatively connected with the sector pinion and capable of becoming automatically disengaged therefrom, the said lever having a concentrically arranged segmental surface and a segmental projection extending radially therefrom, a retracting rod capable of exerting a pull upon the retracting lever and formed with a recess, and with concave surfaces on either side thereof for engagement with the aforesaid segmental surface and projection, a toothed sector wheel extending from the lever, a rack connected with the slide actuating link and formed with surfaces for interlooking with the sector wheel and also for permitting at certain periods a certain amount 0 relative movement of the sector wheel in either direction.

7. In firing mechanism of the character described, the combination with the slide, the link for actuating the same, the striker, the striker retracting lever and the sector pinion, of a pivoted lever operatively connected with the sector pinion and capable of becoming automatically disengaged therefrom, the said lever having in proximity to its pivot a concentrically arranged segmental surface, and a segment-a1 projection extendin radially therefrom, a retracting rod capa ile of exerting a pull upon the retracting lever and formed with a recess, and with concave surfaces on either side thereof for engagement with the aforesaid segmental surface and projection, a toothed wheel extending from the lever, a rack connected with the slide actuating link and formed with surfaces for interlocking with the sector wheel and also for permitting at certain.

periods, relative movement of the sector wheel in either direct-ion, a stop for limiting the amount of movement of the said lever in one direction, and a segmental flange on the sector pinion for retaining at certain periods the said lever in a predetermined position.

8. In firing mechanism of the character described, the combination with the slide box, the slide, the slide actuating link, the striker, and the striker retracting lever, of a striker sleeve having a projection thereon adapted to be engaged by the retract-ing lever, and a projection adapted to be engaged by a raised surface on the slide box, a pivoted lever provided with a concentrically arranged segmental surface and a segmental projection extending radially therefrom, a

' retracting rod operat-ively connected at one end with the retracting lever and formed at the other end with a recess and with concave v surfaces on either side thereof for engagement with the aforesaid segmental surface and projection, a toothed sector wheel extending from the lever and provided with a wide tooth, a rack connected with the slide actuating link and formed with surfaces for interlocking with the aforesaid sector wheel and also for permitting at certain periods, relative movement of the sector wheel in either direction, a stop for limiting rotary movement of the lever in one direction, a sector pinion provided with a roller pin and with a segmental flange, the said pin being adapted Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). G. 

